That being said, I will admit to you that Saturday, the 23rd was a day of discouragement for me; and so I talked to the Lord about it. I told him all the things that were discouraging to me and I told him how it was hard for me to see how we were going to be able to film Shots in the Dark as well as begin Ebenezer Productions. My discouragement was so intense I was in tears during my prayer time.
In my discouragement I prayed, "Lord, John and I need something that we can see that will help us both. We need a touch from you that will help us hold on one more day. We know you will provide for our needs but I am feeling John and I both need something to hold onto." As I prayed I realized I didn't know what that thing would be that would be what we would need. So I added, "Father, you know best how we're feeling. You know what we need. Help us see you as that shade on our right hand that will help us walk another day."
I've just finished a study by Ray Vander Laan called Walk with God in the Desert. In it Vander Laan teaches how God provides just enough so that we trust him for each of our needs on a daily basis. "God is the shade on our right hand so that we can rest enough to walk further. God is the living water so that our thirst is quenched and we can be refreshed enough to last another day. God is the manna from heaven and when we gather from him, it's enough food to last us another day so we can continue on our journey."
And so, applying the lessons from this study, I asked the Lord to give us what he knew we needed for strength.
Saturday, the 23rd, I was scheduled to have a sleep study. The thing about this study is that we had to go to Tulsa for the study, but we weren't sure what to do for John, since it doesn't make much fuel sense for him to go home only to turn around and come back for me in the morning. Tulsa is about 50 miles from Bartlesville. The study went from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
He decided if he had to, he would sleep in the hospital waiting room and we thought that was going to be what would happen. I hated the idea, but we can't afford hotel rooms and it seemed the solution.
When we got to the hospital, John noticed a sign that mentioned guest rooms. St John's has a set of rooms that nuns used to live in that have been converted into rooms for people to stay who have family members in the hospital. The rooms are $25 a night, which is much more reasonable than a hotel room. The clerk at the administration desk told us there were rooms available, and that (in fact) when she came on her shift, she was shocked at how many rooms were available.
We knew that was God's provision.
John gave the receptionist our credit card number and she gave him a key. Then John and I went to the sleep study lab to check me in. The sleep tech mentioned that John could stay for awhile if he wanted, and then he mentioned that we had to get a room so he could stay the night. She told us, "Oh, you can stay here. We have plenty of empty rooms." So she called the admin desk and found out they hadn't run the card number yet to charge us for John's room. All John would have to do is return the key!
We knew that was God's provision.
And so God answered my prayer for something to hold onto that would encourage us just enough to get us through.
Deuteronomy 31:6 says "So be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid and do not panic before them, for the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will never fail you or forsake you."
Philippians 4:6-7 says, "Don't worry about anything, instead pray about everything; tell God your needs and don't forget to thank Him for His answers. If you do this you will experience God's peace, which is far more wonderful than the human mind can understand. His peace will keep your thoughts and heart quiet and at rest as you trust in Jesus Christ."
God will answer our prayers for shade on our right hand, living water, and manna to get us through one more day. When you feel discouraged remember to talk to him and ask him for what he knows will help you get through one more day. As we trust in him and feed from his word, we will find the shelter and the rest when the sun is bearing down on us and we don't think we can walk another step.
Seek the Lord. He is the Living Water.